Figures
by icyboots
Summary: From what Sephiroth knew and saw, Vincent was still young and a promising detective. Why he'd bother with two strange scientists - as much as he adored his mother, she was awfully strange in her own way - and their son was still beyond him. Hojo/Vincent/Lucrecia. Modern AU. Oneshot.


This is the Hojo/Vincent/Lucrecia fic that plagued me. I still have no idea how I managed to make it fluffy. No fricking idea.

* * *

**Figures **

* * *

Sephiroth was four when he had his first - and later, only - babysitter. From what he observed, Vincent Valentine was fond of his mother and had a distaste for Hojo - he couldn't get himself to call that man his father for some reason - and as a result, had mixed feelings about him.

When his mother and Hojo left the house, leaving him and Vincent alone, Sephiroth stared up curiously at him while Vincent stared back helplessly, apparently ignorant to how one would treat a four year old.

So Sephiroth took pity on him and handed him a book, silently ordering him to read it for him.

Vincent did, noting on how unsuitable history books were as bed time stories, much to Sephiroth's annoyance.

When his parents returned, they found Vincent blissfully asleep while Sephiroth was still wide awake and glaring. And upon waking up, Vincent had the audacity to say that the book was boring as an excuse.

Sephiroth glared some more.

* * *

He was five when he realized that Vincent was no ordinary babysitter - though the gun and badge should've been enough clue.

Babysitters weren't supposed to be there unless there was a need for them, a fact that confused Sephiroth immensely because Vincent was frequently invited to dinner and game nights - the battles of wit that went on between Vincent and Hojo over monopoly were a sight to see - and sometimes, the occasional outing.

He didn't mind it though; he liked Vincent anyway, even if he wasn't the best judge on books.

* * *

He was six when he saw just how _fond_ Vincent was of his mother, watching both of them discuss about some topic he wasn't interested in.

Hojo was watching them as well, although not in the expected anger or jealously, so Sephiroth couldn't help but say, "He loves her."

"She probably loves him as well," Hojo only replied.

"Why aren't you upset by it then?" By all means, he didn't care about Hojo's state of feeling in the slightest, but he couldn't deny that he was curious about his reaction; spouses often showed distress about these kind of things, judging from what he saw on the TV at least.

"They look beautiful together, don't they?" His words weren't said wistfully, like an intruder, but with an unsettling fascination, the kind Hojo only had about what interested him, about the experiments he thought would have the most satisfying results.

And while he didn't think the best about his biological father - he was a walking mass of complexes, after all - he couldn't help but to agree with him.

He wondered for a moment if that made him as mad as Hojo, but then his mother called for him and he forgot all about his pondering.

* * *

"Who do you like best?" he asked his mother on one summer day - not that it was noticeable in Nibelheim - pointing at Vincent and Hojo.

His mother's eyes widened in surprise but then softened as she smiled fondly at him, smoothing his hair away from his face.

She didn't answer, at least not with words, so he wondered if her gesture meant that she liked them both the same.

* * *

He was eight when he noticed that Vincent stayed the night, _not_ in the guestroom as one would expect. He'd ask about it someday.

* * *

He was nine when he decided that he'd better not ask, not if the disgruntled Vincent, smug Hojo, and his overly pleased mother was any indication.

* * *

"Why stay?" From what he knew and saw, Vincent was still young and a promising detective. Why he'd bother with two strange scientists - as much as he adored his mother, she was awfully strange in her own way - and their son was still beyond him.

"They have a way of pulling me back in, just when I think I've escaped," Vincent answered, getting up to make him a cup of hot chocolate - with a lot of toppings and cream, just the kind that would make Hojo have a fit upon knowing that he drank it.

Sephiroth didn't miss the use of plural pronouns in Vincent's answer.

* * *

He was ten when he received his first non-perfect score on a test.

His mother told him that he'd do better next time with a smile, Vincent told him that he did well, all while Hojo insisted that the teacher made a mistake when scoring the test.

He wondered when this became his life. When, exactly, did he acquire three parents?

Then again, people always told him that he was special. Perhaps he was special in that regard as well.


End file.
